Erik Cole wasn't good as an Oiler, at all. He would have resigned? Good for him. He seemed like the player the Oilers were searching for, a big forward with speed and some scoring ability. But he wasn't that here.
Whether he didn't fit in well, or it was the coach's fault for ruining him, the fact is he wasn't a good Oiler.
Ask Hab fans if they are happy with the contract and contribution.
He did the same thing there. Sign for big $ and doesn't earn it.
We F^$%ing love Cole in Montreal. He's the PF we have needed since forever. He's a great mentor for Patches and a great team leader. I hate Gauthier, but I have no problem with his contract. He leaves everything on the ice. I doubt you find a Habs fan that says otherwise.
The only negative memory of Cole was him going on the Jim Rome show during the 2006 Stanley Cup finals and ripping Edmonton's medical facilities. I think it was Moreau who had drilled his already injured shoulder in game 6.
We F^$%ing love Cole in Montreal. He's the PF we have needed since forever. He's a great mentor for Patches and a great team leader. I hate Gauthier, but I have no problem with his contract. He leaves everything on the ice. I doubt you find a Habs fan that says otherwise.
Erik Cole wasn't good as an Oiler, at all. He would have resigned? Good for him. He seemed like the player the Oilers were searching for, a big forward with speed and some scoring ability. But he wasn't that here.
Whether he didn't fit in well, or it was the coach's fault for ruining him, the fact is he wasn't a good Oiler.
The issue was, he didn't fit well mostly due to coaches.
He was a Lowe project to try fit with Hemsky. The patented RW who is tried on LW to try find some chemistry with Hemsky. Joining the likes of Lupul and Kotalik.
I loved Erik Cole here. Yes he didn't score, but this guy was consistently physical, great along the boards and gave a 110% on each shift.
A guy like that would be great right now.
__________________ <-- Credit goes to The Nemesis.
The issue was, he didn't fit well mostly due to coaches.
He was a Lowe project to try fit with Hemsky. The patented RW who is tried on LW to try find some chemistry with Hemsky. Joining the likes of Lupul and Kotalik.
I loved Erik Cole here. Yes he didn't score, but this guy was consistently physical, great along the boards and gave a 110% on each shift.
A guy like that would be great right now.
I guess, but I mean it's not as if he was being asked to center the top-line. Adapt, other players have to.
Cole didn't work in Edmonton, but to call him a "zero-effort" kind of player is downright stupid.
Pretty sure I remember that Cole was still impacted by post concussion while playing here. The effort was there. We didn't use him ideally and I don't think he was 100%.
This was always a good player. Nice to see he's returned to form. Good for him.
I just remembered that after every game, everyone keeps saying what a great effort he put in and that eventually the points will come... sadly, it never came. It was like he was permanently snake bitten for the entire time he was here. Miss his effort, not his results.
Ask Hab fans if they are happy with the contract and contribution.
He did the same thing there. Sign for big $ and doesn't earn it.
We are absloutely thrilled, thank you. He is one of only five players on the Habs who actually tried and gave a damn this year as far as I am concerned.
Cole didn't work in Edmonton, but to call him a "zero-effort" kind of player is downright stupid.
This.
I watch a lot of Habs games and he's been one of the few bright spots on their team this year. He's playing in Montreal the way I thought he would play in Edmonton.
The thing that gets me is that Lowe coulda stopped at any of the first 3 Pronger related trades and we'd have been fine.
Pronger for Smid, Lupul & 2 1sts? Pretty damn good in retrospect.... and to be fair we all were told it was a move for 5 years out.
Pronger & Gator for Smid, Pitkanen, 2 1sts? Yep... ok... I suppose, given Lupul may never have turned the corner playing here in the spotlight
Pronger & Gator for Smid, Cole, 2 1sts.... Intangibles probably balance this more than it looks
But then Tambo trades for POS?!?
I've always been willing to concede people's criticism of Lowe's return for Pronger. But looking at it today, 6 years out.... it was pretty damn good if we'd been patient enough to stop at the 1st, 2nd or even 3rd trade.
Hrmmm... this Tambo guy. Willing to give him the offseason, but starting to wonder a little.
Pretty sure I remember that Cole was still impacted by post concussion while playing here. The effort was there. We didn't use him ideally and I don't think he was 100%.
This was always a good player. Nice to see he's returned to form. Good for him.
You know it is really interesting to see how players recover (or don't) from injury. If you check out some of the more miserable performances in recovery years, it is often concussions (vs knees, shoulders, etc) that impact actual delivery of results the most.
You know it is really interesting to see how players recover (or don't) from injury. If you check out some of the more miserable performances in recovery years, it is often concussions (vs knees, shoulders, etc) that impact actual delivery of results the most.
All had pretty horendous years after recovering from serious concussions.
It's a quick game and I think guys just can't be as sharp for a good long time after a concussion... research is starting to show this too.
Not surprising either. Recovery from concussion is longterm.
Forget moneyball. If any NHL GM had been noting typical recovery times for concussions and buying low on players still suffering effects I wonder what kind of team you could accrue.
I can never understand teams moving a player after say one bad year and who is playing through something like concussion.
AS a rule I'd target players exactly around 2 yrs after serious concussion. When their teams have basically given up on them.
Not surprising either. Recovery from concussion is longterm.
Forget moneyball. If any NHL GM had been noting typical recovery times for concussions and buying low on players still suffering effects I wonder what kind of team you could accrue.
I can never understand teams moving a player after say one bad year and who is playing through something like concussion.
AS a rule I'd target players exactly around 2 yrs after serious concussion. When their teams have basically given up on them.
Interesting idea and completely agree.
I had this experience myself after a serious concussion. Even for nearly two years I'd get dizzy after exerting myself cardio wise... climbing a hill on my mtn bike for example. It was like my body had to learn how to breath efficiently again. Doc wasn't at all surprised.
And my temper/frustration level.... man that took almost 3 years.
No surpise that a players like Hemsky play in a fog for a while.
Obviously this doesn't happen to everybody... but it is pretty apparent when you see it... and it usually goes away with time.
I had this experience myself after a serious concussion. Even for nearly two years I'd get dizzy after exerting myself cardio wise... climbing a hill on my mtn bike for example. It was like my body had to learn how to breath efficiently again. Doc wasn't at all surprised.
And my temper/frustration level.... man that took almost 3 years.
No surpise that a players like Hemsky play in a fog for a while.
Obviously this doesn't happen to everybody... but it is pretty apparent when you see it... and it usually goes away with time.
Yep, and the bolded I think being the key. I'd wonder how many reasonable to good, to even very good players have been next to buried due to concussion. Instead of being back on active rosters when they are pretty much fully recovered.
<-- Credit goes to The Nemesis.
